Labor Day has come and gone and the official end to summer has hit. With the little ones going back to school and the bigger ones shipping off to college, you may be searching for treats to send them off with. This week, we have put together an easy, delicious, and healthy snack recipe ready to be packed in a school lunchbox or mailed off to the dorms. We all want our children to be healthy and eat right and there is no better way than to provide them with quick and easy nutritious treats.

Our vegan recipe this week is one my Mother and I used to make the week school began: homemade fruit leather! There was nothing I loved more than fruit roll-ups as a child, however, many of those on the market are packed full of additives, high fructose corn syrup, and harmful dyes. As well as being less than healthy, many products have wasteful packaging and are not easy on the wallet. My Mother found a solution to this: we made them at home! Before you buy a box off the shelf, consider trying out this recipe: it is fun, easy, and you can customize the fruit you use. Below we have provided a recipe in true fall fair: Apple Cinnamon. However, the recipe is really easy to tweak to any fruit or fruit combination you would like. Just make sure you use 2 Cups of fruit and lemon juice (to keep them from browning).

In a blender or food processor add the apples and apple sauce. Blend until the mixture is the consistency of applesauce. In a mixing bowl add the lemon juice and cinnamon and mix. Pre-heat the oven to 150-170 degrees. Pour mixture over non-stick or oiled cookie sheets and let them dry for 10-15 hours in the oven. If you have a dehydrator, this will take 7-8 hours. You will know when the leather is dry, when it is no longer moist and is tough, much like store bought fruit leather. With a pizza cutter or knife, rectangle strips or roll up. You can either wrap the leather saran wrap or store in jars/other re-usable containers. Now your fruit leather is ready to be packed away in school lunches, mailed off in a care package, or eaten on the spot.

For some other great fruit combinations, check out the following list. Remember, the mixture should be 2 cups of fruit combined (can include apple or other sauces), lemon juice, and any sweetner or spice you may want.